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9/11Myth of the Phoenix According to Classical and Early Christian Traditions by Van den Broek, Roel B SIide
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Myth of the Phoenix According to Classical and Early Christian Traditions by Van den Broek, Roel B SIide
Myth of the Phoenix
( THIS BOOK IS VERY DIFFICULT TO FIND ANYWNERE ONLINE OR ANYWHERE ELSE FOR THAT MATTER )!!!
Clement wrote, Tertullian (an early Latin Church Father) again used the example of the phoenix in connection with resurrection. The story also featured in another piece of writing that appeared about the same time: the Physiologus, a Greek work that described real and mythical animals and outlined their allegorical significance for the developing Christian orthodoxy. Its author added a new detail to the phoenix story—that the bird died and returned to life after three days. “The motif of the three days was inserted into the existing tradition by the author of the Physiologus as a means of bringing out the typological symbolism of the phoenix: the events in the life of the phoenix are meant to reflect those in the life of Christ,” says van den Broek.
Writing a little later, another early Church Father, Origen, also thought the pagan mythological bird might be real (see Contra Celsum 4.98). He spoke of it as an example of the variety and harmony to be found in God’s creation. In the fourth and fifth centuries, Church Fathers including Ambrose, Cyril of Jerusalem and Jerome were still repeating the myth, and some began offering it as a God-given proof of the reality of (Christ’s) resurrection. In the words of Cyril, “God knew men’s unbelief and provided for this purpose a bird, called a Phoenix” (Catechetical Lecture 18). And around the sixth century, an anonymous Coptic preacher wrote a sermon in which he claimed that the phoenix had first been seen at the time of Cain and Abel, and that it was last seen just after Jesus’ birth, “which now indicates to us the resurrection.”
Little by little, Christian writers began to read more into the various references to the strange creature. They noted its uniqueness (“the only one of its kind”) and began to interpret the phoenix of pagan myth not only as a Christian symbol of virgin birth, renovation and resurrection but as a type or allegory of Jesus Christ Himself.Other aspects of the pagan story have worked their way into Christian literature and iconography as well. For example, the Catholic Encyclopedia records that Origen dubbed the palm tree “the symbol of victory in that war waged by the spirit against the flesh.” This source further asserts, “In this sense it was especially applicable to martyrs, the victors par excellence over the spiritual foes of mankind; hence the frequent occurrence in the Acts of the martyrs of such expressions as ‘he received the palm of martyrdom.’” It’s hard to avoid making a connection between Origen’s words and the Roman view of the palm as a symbol of the pagan goddess Victory.
- Egyptian Mythology -
The ancient Egyptians were seemingly the first people to have incorporated in their mythical tradition, the concepts of immortality, resurrection and rebirth. In lieu of these beliefs of the ancient Egyptians, we find references to a mythical bird known as Bennu in their mythology. Bennu has been depicted as a tall bird that resembles a stork or a heron. The Egyptian Book of the Dead describes Bennu as the heart and soul of Ra and the guide of the gods of the underworld. This description shows the association of Bennu with sun-god. Moreover, in the Egyptian hieroglyphs, Bennu represents both, rising as well as setting sun. It is often depicted as bird with long legs and a long beak and having two long feathers on its head. In some depictions, the crown of Osiris, the lord of the underworld or the disc of the Ra, the sun-god also appear as its headdress. In ancient paintings, it bears a red and golden plumage.
Bennu is believed to have hailed from Arabia from where it flew to Heliopolis after every 500 years. It was here that bird immolated itself and was reborn from its own ashes. The Greek historian Herodotus, who traveled to Egypt and spoke to high-priests of Heliopolis, wrote in his account, “…I have not seen a phoenix actually, except in the paintings, because it does not visit the country often, in fact, at Heliopolis, it can be seen only after a considerable period of 500 years. I am told that it comes to Egypt after the death of its father in order to bury the remains in the sanctuary of the sun, a feat that I do not believe in.” This description is very interesting in that it does not in any way associate Bennu or Phoenix with fire.
-Greek Mythology -
In Greek and Roman mythological traditions, the phoenix has been portrayed either as a peacock-like or an eagle-like bird bearing crimson and gold feathers. It has been chronicled that the phoenix is the most beautiful of birds. The Greek word phoenix stands for both crimson color and palm tree. The Greek mythology states that the phoenix lives in Phoenicia (present-day Lebanon). Its nest lies next to a well in which it bathes at dawn. The song that it sings while bathing is so sweet that God Helios (the Greek sun-god) stops his chariot to listen to it. Ideally, the phoenix does not reproduce and so it leads a solitary existence. This means that there exists only one phoenix in the world at a time and after a specific period of time, when it feels that it has grown old and needs to be revitalized, it sets itself on fire to be reborn as a brand new bird full of life and energy.
- Persian Mythology-
In the Persian legend, there are two mythical birds which in some way or the other, resemble the phoenix. The first of the two is Huma orHoma, a fire-bird occupying a prominent place in Persian mythology as well as Sufi lore. According to a common myth, the Huma continuously flies all through its life in high skies, and is not visible to the human eye. So, it is sometimes also referred to as the ‘bird of paradise’. Some versions even mention that it never alights on earth because it does not have limbs. It is believed to be reborn from its own bodily ashes after setting itself on fire every few hundred years, a common trait that it shares with the popular phoenix legend.
-Chinese Mythology-
The Chinese version of the phoenix is very interesting. The bird is called Fèng Huáng and is a union of male and female characteristic traits. The male part is called is Feng and the female part is called Huang. Initially, these were two different birds which were incorporated into one at a later period. With the passage of time, the distinction between the Feng and the Huang seems to have ceased to exist and the bird is visualized as a feminine entity, a consort of the Chinese dragon.
-Japanese Mythology-
In Japan, the phoenix is called the Hou-ou and it symbolically represents the royalty, with regards to the Queen or the Empress and so represents justice and fidelity. It is thus a feminine creature. The myth of the phoenix was supposedly introduced in Japan between 6th and 7th century A.D. and has its roots in the Chinese tradition
Russian Mythology
In the Russian legend, the Zhar-Ptitsa is a mythical bird that does resemble the phoenix in some ways. This fire-bird that belongs to a ‘faraway land’ brings both joy as well as sorrow to its captor/master. Therefore, it has been advised not to capture these birds for the purpose of joy, for they can be responsible for one’s eventual doom. It has been described as a bright majestic bird with feathers that glow like fire. However, there are no references to the bird rising from its own ashes or even to its solitary existence. Myths and Legends About the Spectacular Phoenix Bird
The phoenix bird and its legend has been with humankind for ages. Here's everything you have always wanted to know about this awe-inspiring mythical creature.
Home / Uncategorized / Myths and Legends About the Spectacular Phoenix Bird
Phoenix Bird .The phoenix bird and its legend has been with humankind for ages. Here’s everything you have always wanted to know about this awe-inspiring mythical creature. Fawkes is a phoenix, Harry. They burst into flame when it is time for them to die, and then they are reborn from the ashes. Ah, fascinating creatures, phoenixes.
– Albus Dumledore to Harry in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
The phoenix that caught everyone’s attention in the Harry Potter series is actually a mythical creature that appears more often than not in mythologies of different cultures, with different names but with similar interpretations. Mythology is a powerful amalgam of reality and Ancient legend paints a picture of a magical bird, radiant and shimmering, which lives for several hundred years before it dies by bursting into flames. It is then reborn from the ashes, to start a new, long life. So powerful is the symbolism that it is a motif and image that is still used commonly today in popular culture and folklore. This is the majestic phoenix.
The legendary phoenix is a large, grand bird, much like an eagle or peacock. It is brilliantly colored in reds, purples, and yellows, as it is associated with the rising sun and fire.]
Writing a little later, another early Church Father, Origen, also thought the pagan mythological bird might be real (see Contra Celsum 4.98). He spoke of it as an example of the variety and harmony to be found in God’s creation. In the fourth and fifth centuries, Church Fathers including Ambrose, Cyril of Jerusalem and Jerome were still repeating the myth, and some began offering it as a God-given proof of the reality of (Christ’s) resurrection. In the words of Cyril, “God knew men’s unbelief and provided for this purpose a bird, called a Phoenix” (Catechetical Lecture 18). And around the sixth century, an anonymous Coptic preacher wrote a sermon in which he claimed that the phoenix had first been seen at the time of Cain and Abel, and that it was last seen just after Jesus’ birth, “which now indicates to us the resurrection.”
Little by little, Christian writers began to read more into the various references to the strange creature. They noted its uniqueness (“the only one of its kind”) and began to interpret the phoenix of pagan myth not only as a Christian symbol of virgin birth, renovation and resurrection but as a type or allegory of Jesus Christ Himself.Other aspects of the pagan story have worked their way into Christian literature and iconography as well. For example, the Catholic Encyclopedia records that Origen dubbed the palm tree “the symbol of victory in that war waged by the spirit against the flesh.” This source further asserts, “In this sense it was especially applicable to martyrs, the victors par excellence over the spiritual foes of mankind; hence the frequent occurrence in the Acts of the martyrs of such expressions as ‘he received the palm of martyrdom.’” It’s hard to avoid making a connection between Origen’s words and the Roman view of the palm as a symbol of the pagan goddess Victory.
- Egyptian Mythology -
The ancient Egyptians were seemingly the first people to have incorporated in their mythical tradition, the concepts of immortality, resurrection and rebirth. In lieu of these beliefs of the ancient Egyptians, we find references to a mythical bird known as Bennu in their mythology. Bennu has been depicted as a tall bird that resembles a stork or a heron. The Egyptian Book of the Dead describes Bennu as the heart and soul of Ra and the guide of the gods of the underworld. This description shows the association of Bennu with sun-god. Moreover, in the Egyptian hieroglyphs, Bennu represents both, rising as well as setting sun. It is often depicted as bird with long legs and a long beak and having two long feathers on its head. In some depictions, the crown of Osiris, the lord of the underworld or the disc of the Ra, the sun-god also appear as its headdress. In ancient paintings, it bears a red and golden plumage.
Bennu is believed to have hailed from Arabia from where it flew to Heliopolis after every 500 years. It was here that bird immolated itself and was reborn from its own ashes. The Greek historian Herodotus, who traveled to Egypt and spoke to high-priests of Heliopolis, wrote in his account, “…I have not seen a phoenix actually, except in the paintings, because it does not visit the country often, in fact, at Heliopolis, it can be seen only after a considerable period of 500 years. I am told that it comes to Egypt after the death of its father in order to bury the remains in the sanctuary of the sun, a feat that I do not believe in.” This description is very interesting in that it does not in any way associate Bennu or Phoenix with fire.
-Greek Mythology -
In Greek and Roman mythological traditions, the phoenix has been portrayed either as a peacock-like or an eagle-like bird bearing crimson and gold feathers. It has been chronicled that the phoenix is the most beautiful of birds. The Greek word phoenix stands for both crimson color and palm tree. The Greek mythology states that the phoenix lives in Phoenicia (present-day Lebanon). Its nest lies next to a well in which it bathes at dawn. The song that it sings while bathing is so sweet that God Helios (the Greek sun-god) stops his chariot to listen to it. Ideally, the phoenix does not reproduce and so it leads a solitary existence. This means that there exists only one phoenix in the world at a time and after a specific period of time, when it feels that it has grown old and needs to be revitalized, it sets itself on fire to be reborn as a brand new bird full of life and energy.
- Persian Mythology-
In the Persian legend, there are two mythical birds which in some way or the other, resemble the phoenix. The first of the two is Huma orHoma, a fire-bird occupying a prominent place in Persian mythology as well as Sufi lore. According to a common myth, the Huma continuously flies all through its life in high skies, and is not visible to the human eye. So, it is sometimes also referred to as the ‘bird of paradise’. Some versions even mention that it never alights on earth because it does not have limbs. It is believed to be reborn from its own bodily ashes after setting itself on fire every few hundred years, a common trait that it shares with the popular phoenix legend.
-Chinese Mythology-
The Chinese version of the phoenix is very interesting. The bird is called Fèng Huáng and is a union of male and female characteristic traits. The male part is called is Feng and the female part is called Huang. Initially, these were two different birds which were incorporated into one at a later period. With the passage of time, the distinction between the Feng and the Huang seems to have ceased to exist and the bird is visualized as a feminine entity, a consort of the Chinese dragon.
-Japanese Mythology-
In Japan, the phoenix is called the Hou-ou and it symbolically represents the royalty, with regards to the Queen or the Empress and so represents justice and fidelity. It is thus a feminine creature. The myth of the phoenix was supposedly introduced in Japan between 6th and 7th century A.D. and has its roots in the Chinese tradition
Russian Mythology
In the Russian legend, the Zhar-Ptitsa is a mythical bird that does resemble the phoenix in some ways. This fire-bird that belongs to a ‘faraway land’ brings both joy as well as sorrow to its captor/master. Therefore, it has been advised not to capture these birds for the purpose of joy, for they can be responsible for one’s eventual doom. It has been described as a bright majestic bird with feathers that glow like fire. However, there are no references to the bird rising from its own ashes or even to its solitary existence. Myths and Legends About the Spectacular Phoenix Bird
The phoenix bird and its legend has been with humankind for ages. Here's everything you have always wanted to know about this awe-inspiring mythical creature.
Home / Uncategorized / Myths and Legends About the Spectacular Phoenix Bird
Phoenix Bird .The phoenix bird and its legend has been with humankind for ages. Here’s everything you have always wanted to know about this awe-inspiring mythical creature. Fawkes is a phoenix, Harry. They burst into flame when it is time for them to die, and then they are reborn from the ashes. Ah, fascinating creatures, phoenixes.
– Albus Dumledore to Harry in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
The phoenix that caught everyone’s attention in the Harry Potter series is actually a mythical creature that appears more often than not in mythologies of different cultures, with different names but with similar interpretations. Mythology is a powerful amalgam of reality and Ancient legend paints a picture of a magical bird, radiant and shimmering, which lives for several hundred years before it dies by bursting into flames. It is then reborn from the ashes, to start a new, long life. So powerful is the symbolism that it is a motif and image that is still used commonly today in popular culture and folklore. This is the majestic phoenix.
The legendary phoenix is a large, grand bird, much like an eagle or peacock. It is brilliantly colored in reds, purples, and yellows, as it is associated with the rising sun and fire.]
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